The Giving Up Smoking Thread - Part 3

daveys_2

Big 'Hi!' and welcome to the new thread followers - don't forget to hit the subscription options at the top of he page.

Good luck with your quit/stop/cease/give-up/whatever-you-want-to-call-it, I (and everyone else) wishes you every good fortune (I'm sure they'll be along soon to join in the welcomes)

Sue-UU

thriftylynny wrote: »

So i'm dreading the big STOP its like stepping off the edge of a mountain to me! Please help!!

Hi thriftylynny, and a warm welcome to the thread. Please read all through the PM I've just sent you, I think you'll find it quite a help. I've not been too well today so really must get to bed, but I'll be back here tomorrow. Please relax and remember that the stress is mostly bought about by fags and smoking itself!!! You'll be far more relaxed after stopping and will find the normal everyday stress far easier to deal with.

Sue x

Well done hollieinbloom! Now take it a day at a time and read the bit below. I'll send you a PM to help tomorrow, promise.

Smokers Pledge

"I'm NOT going to smoke any cigarettes today, but if I wish, I may smoke tomorrow" Then repeat the pledge every day.

Hi Part Mouse. Good for you, take the bull by the horns and read the Quitters Pledge above.

I'm sure the e-cig you're talking about is totally different to Erme's, she'll quite possibly be here in the morning to tell you abut it.

Hi Davey!! It really is great to see you!

See you all in the morning or asap,

Sue x

Fundamental_2

Hi Sue- 8 weeks free now and the pangs have all but gone. My health/fitness is slowly returning - being helped by brisk walks and hitting the weights at home.

Welcome to the new posters on here. As stated above, I would recommend reading the whole thread as there is a great deal of quality advice for you; it also gives a sense of 'we're all in this together' and the experiences of others can put your own craving, struggles and the like into perspective and provide reassurance that your difficulties in kicking the habit are not uncommon. The success stories can also provide further motivation when needed.

Good luck all- you can do it!

FDM

viv0147

A 102 days ago I went to see my Doctor because I was having severe pains in my legs after walking just a short distance I had been having them for a while but this particular day it was really bad after the Doctor examined me he said I had a circulation problem and he said if I don't stop smoking I may lose a few toes or my foot or even my leg well that was enough for me! So I had a prescription for Champix that day, now the idea with the Champix is you take the tablets and continue to smoke until it kicks into your system then you stop smoking in my case it was 10 days. So I have been smoke free for 92 days and free is the right word in fact its FREEDOM, I also took a photo of my naked leg and I have it as a screensaver on my iPhone so every time I use my phone I am reminded why I stopped smoking. I started smoking at the age of (14) I am now 64 so thats 50 years of smoking on average 20 a day and when I now look back I can now see I was a prisoner for 50 years well no longer! I am now free I just hope no one else allows themselves to be a prisoner for such a length of time. PS The good news is I can now walk pain free over distance so my Doctor was quite right.

Erme

hollieinbloom wrote: »

JUST smoked my last fag...i feel awful right now! knowing i will wake up tomorrow and have to stay away from the back door and the urge to go out there. i have no cigs in the house so hopefully i can resist. i need to be kept indoors for the next 6 months.....
I really don't trust myself especially since i have no bloody will power!!! x

You know read the thread from beginning to end and any PM's dear lovely Sue sends you and you'll be fine.... :j....It's not going down that's the crime but staying down....well done you for trying

Part_Mouse wrote: »

Iv'e got 2 cigs left so going it cold turkey tommorow.Good luck to all.We CAN do it

xx

Yeah I know you can Mouse..:j...now that's the spirit...

For newbies who are wondering why I am on the e-cig? I tried every NRT known to woman and can't take champix and it wasn't strong enough ...I'd get delusional and start hearing voices after about 20 hours (if not sooner)....Hence I chose the e-cig as I knew I could self regulate and self reduce.

At first I was also on the nasal spray (very strong). More than enough at about 1 dose an hour (maybe more) but now am completely free of nasal spray (it gives you a wee nicotine hit - and I couldn't afford it so I quit it )....

I've had a few wee troubles with the e-cig - (for example nic overdose caused by building my own tank with a bottle) but the forums I go on are fab...and bought a few whoopsie e-cigs (some I still have as spare - one I've sold) so yeah it cost me about £200 the first 6 weeks or so but now I reckon my costs are down to about £10-15 a week (far better than the £45 I was spending on roll ups)...Obviously this varies from person to person.

Have an e-cig dilution calculator for my phone so I know how to dilute the stuff and have discovered the joys of medicine bottles (plastic) from the chemist. Great as travel bottles

Am never without my e-cig, wet wipes (in case of leaks), spare battery, juice bottle (as in nic juice) etc. but still...a whole lot less to carry than all the smoking stuff (baccy, lighter, 101 packets of papers).....

So yeah...if I can do this (and bare in mind it was never the cravings that got me back on the cigs but like the psychosis ) anyone can!!!

Yeah it's been a stressful week or two with family but it really does restore relationships quitting the weed. Now I don't allow smoking in my flat ...I've vaped a bit more at times but can't believe on the 7th January I'll be 4 months (took all summer to 100% get on the e-cig but still)...

However with any nic products I'd suggest never reducing too soon....I initially (way back in July/August) reduced after 3 weeks and that ended in tears....3rd (whatever no it was) I reduced by a wee bit after 6-8 weeks and so much better .....2-3mg/ml is a fine reduction for the e-cig and because you are paying for it and it's not prescribed you can take as long or as little as you like

I personally started at 36mg/ml (the max I'd say for anyone!!!) but am now down to about 30mg/ml and should be down to about 28mg/ml by by anniversary reducing now every 3-4 weeks. Ideally I'd like to get to the point whereby I'm just on the plastic inhalator for stress/plastic cig...

Hope that helps someone

E

Erme

Sue-UU wrote: »

I'm sure the e-cig you're talking about is totally different to Erme's, she'll quite possibly be here in the morning to tell you abut it.

Hi Davey!! It really is great to see you!

See you all in the morning or asap,

Sue x

That made me smile.... you know me too well :rotfl:....

E
PS. Sue lovely...I have a blocked ear (or two?) and they are really painful and mild tinnitus...so if you could use your powers (yes newbies...our lovely Sue has magic powers....mostly aimed at helping folk quit the weed)...I'll send you left over part eaten xmas pud in a jiffy bag (not!!!) :rotfl:

PPS. Guys...thanks for your prayers...Got the hang of the punched cartos...think I just put one in at the w/e that I got the nail stuck in hence it flooded...thought I'd made too big a hole. Put one in last night (still a big hole but anyway) which the nail hadn't stuck in when I punched it and it was fine. But being far away from ready supply of cartos (cartomisers) I had no choice but too adapt - and also stomach is now fine. Think it was part anxiety/stress of DS and part flooding. Knew I hadn't had that major a nic OD

Part_Mouse

Morning all, having my last cig in a bit. Wish me luck. I loved the feeling of being free when i stoped for 3 years just need to get back to that place one again.

x

Sue-UU

Hi again thriftylynny. I hope you'll have had chance to read through the PM I sent, if not please do as it deals with the friend part you spoke about in your post. It's a pre-written PM so it wasn't just added on for your sake, I promise. I put than in with everything else 3 years ago as it's how I felt for a while before and after I gave up and I just couldn't understand how to describe it until it hit me that it was just like a friend - the wrong kind!; the trouble is that we over-rate that friend!! I'm so delighted it's out of my life.

Because of not having given up you're now in a health dilemma which is causing you big problems - just as it did me before I quit. Every waking hour was filled with fear of what might be wrong as a result of those blessed fags; it was really making me ill. In the end I went to the Dr and spilled it all out and also decided to cut the fags down. The tests all came back negative, I was extremely fortunate! You now need that peace of mind to enable you to move on as I'm quite sure that's possibly the reason for so much of your stress. Please, lynny, why not go and see your Dr and IF there is anything wrong then it's amazing what can be done, but if you don't go and there is anything then things can only progress at a shocking rate! So please, be wise now whilst you're still young enough, you're quite possibly perfectly ok and it's the worrying about your health that's causing you to feel ill - that's exactly how it was with me, others who have been on the threads too.

We're here for you Lynny, so come on here and rant and rave as much a you wish, it's all such a help. Part Mouse is also stopping today and there will be quite a few people around here at New Year so you'll be amongst people who will all know just how you feel!! I'm wishing you all that you would wish for yourself, though I really do hope you'll seek advice from you Dr..only then will you have the peace of mind you need in order to raise your 2 youngsters and quit fags! All the very best!

Sue x

All the very best to you, Part Mouse! You know it's possible, so this time sick to it no matter what..it really is that simple! It might sound 'easy for me to say', but it's true. It's much like any other commitment we make in life; ok, it may need more will-power, but stick to it as Viv, Davey, JD, copperjar,and I (and literally no others on this thread too) have done and you'll get yourself passed that awkward phase and become a quitter for good and totally unleash yourself/ves!

Sue x

Thanks so much for putting your time & method on FDM, it's great. I remember now that you were doing it with the Alan Carr book, it really does sound as though it's perfect for you, just like Kahunababy. You're doing all the right things in exercising etc though and if everyone follows your lead they'll be thrilled to bits too in a very short time! Well done FDM!!!

Sue x

Thanks for a couple of giggles there, Erme, it's good to hear your stomach's better now; all the best for your ears too. Me magic powers???! :shocked: My eye! Was a bit tempted to say something different then, but you know me, I'm a lady. :happylove
Sue x

Very well done, Viv! You came on at just the right time and I hope will have given our wonderers food for thought.

Keep strong and focused everyone, and for those "thinking about it" don't wait any longer, give it a go as you've nothing to lose and soo much to gain, not least your health!

Sue x

hollieinbloom

Thanks everyone! this morning I am feeling positive, just had to go and clear all fag butts up out of the garden as to be honest....
If I was that desperate, I would possibly go and smoke a drag off the end of a stubbed out one... haha!

Today my daughter is at nursery so my MIL is picking me up for a shopping trip to NEXT for the sales...
My daughter needs new clothes, i need new shoes and my quitting is hopefully going to fund a new washing machine and a new mattress this year.
i smoked 10-15 a day, so the £30 a week i was spending on fags should save me £1500!!!! :O :O

that is the first time i've seen that written down! so smoking 6 years, that's £9,000... Good job im not a big drinker aswell!!

Hope everyone is doing well this morning, i'm not doing too well as my usual coffee and fag routine is off. so i had a cup of tea instead! x

Part_Mouse

Thanks Sue not smoked since this morning so really feeling it. Was smoking 20 plus a day. Managed to go into Tesco without buying any. We just need to keep strong. Iv'e also written my list of why i wanted to stop.

Sending everyone lots of luck and positivity.

xx